Strange but true! The 270 PS Volkswagen Caddy Racer

The latest addition to the 2011 Volkswagen Racing Cup (VWRC) grid in UK was recently unveiled at the Commercial Vehicle Show at Birmingham’s NEC. Yes, a commercial vehicle show. That’s because the race car in question is the new Caddy Racer based on the Caddy van. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ director Simon Elliott is once again behind the Caddy’s wheel in VWRC, which admits any Volkswagen, old or new.

Since making its VWRC debut in 2004, the Caddy Racer has proved to be a true crowd-pleaser, gaining its own group of loyal followers while at the hands of both Elliott and his predecessor, Peter Wyhinny. This latest model will be easily recognisable when it lines up at Oulton Park later this month, as it wears the white/orange livery of the RAC, which is continuing its sponsorship for the 2011 season.

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Beneath the new exterior of the Caddy that was launched at the end of 2010, a number of key upgrades have been made to improve performance, handling and dynamics. The most significant change over the previous racer is the installation of a 2.0-litre petrol engine with 270 PS, channelled through the front wheels via a six-speed Volkswagen Racing quick shift gearbox. In addition, the rear axle has been upgraded to the multi-link system found in the Golf road car.

“We learnt a lot through the developments made with the original Caddy Racer, and initial tests with the new van have been extremely promising. This really is a clear demonstration of Brilliant Made Better – I just can’t wait to get back out on track,” Elliott commented. Cool boss!

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The Volkswagen Racing Cup starts over the Easter weekend at Oulton Park, and will visit UK’s famous circuits including Snetterton, Brands Hatch and Donington Park, plus a trip to Zandvoort in Holland before the season finale at Silverstone in October.

If there was such a championship in Malaysia, I wonder if it would get any response from VW’s mainly yuppie and lady clientele. Racing? Leave it to the Mat Rempits!

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

you should see it when it was in action, I’ve been watching Caddy Racer in Astro before, close fight with frontrunner Golf.. the legendary BTCC volvo 850 wagon also look like kereta mayat, but who cares as long it is speed demon :D

Haha, no, not really. The rear is filled with iron bars to make it more rigid. It’s a race car after all. And I want it. Badly. Put on some nice stickers (contractor) and hunt ah bengs/do racing with it.

how i wish there’s such championship here in our country..rather than having the top tier championship ie. f1, jgtc, atcc, it is better to have a grassroot type of event, backed up by car company..even proton or perodua can support this kind of event by supplying cars n technical know how just like VW’s did in china n the UK..

i bet there’s a lot of talented driver out there need a venue to hone their skills but dont have proper place to race due to the expensive nature of motorsport here in our country..let alone to build a proper racing car n race as privateer..unless u got connection here n there, backed up by some rich petrol heads..

quite agree with you, motorsport event in Malaysia getting lesser and lesser..
i browse through AAM schedule for 2011, such a sad things to look at..
no more Rally-X/Sprint, Malaysia Motocross Championship..

last time there was one make series such as Kancil Cup as part of Malaysian Super Series.. now no more already..

at least there is still GRA, possibly the cheapest yet, as you run your own road car in a big car park. its and event thats been going strong for more than 5 years already i think, and theres like 60-80 competitors each round sometimes more.

then how about racetrack junkies? we used to have batu tiga for weekend racer to enjoy..sepang is just too big, even in f1 standard it is big..the elite highway track near usj is too tight for grip event, maybe drift is ok but the nearby neighborhood seems dont enjoy it much..pasir gudang is waaay to far down south..

the same goes to other type of racing ie. drag (SDB is great, but apart from that?) drift, etc..IMHO, we do need more place to race safely, be it a proper race track or closed road..and not to forget a grassroot racing series..

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